Not much had gone the LA Galaxy’s way in 2023.
It’s team president, Chris Klein, was suspended for the recent winter transfer window and the Galaxy have been prohibited from signing international players during the Summer window as a result of salary cap violations committed dating back to Carlos Pavon’s time with the Galaxy. The penalties imposed upon by the league were the final straw for the Galaxy’s supporters groups, The Angel City Brigade, the LA Riot Squad and the Galaxians, who are currently engaged in a boycott of the team’s home matches.
The 2023 season itself has been just as turbulent. Entering Saturday’s match against Austin, the Galaxy were 0-4-3, just a slot above last place in the Western Conference, and last week’s match had to be the most excruciating, as they allowed cross-town rival LAFC to finally defeat them on its home turf. However, on Saturday against Austin, things finally broke the Galaxy’s way, as goals from Chicharito Hernandez and Riqui Puig got the Galaxy finally into the win column with a 2-0 result at Dignity Health Sports Park.
“The truth is we are very happy,” Puig said. “We needed these three points and I think looking ahead these points will give us a lot of life. The win was very important for the group.”
The Galaxy edged ahead in the 54th minute. Marky Delgado played a pass inside, Austin’s Owen Wolff looked like he would cut off the pass, but Riqui Puig’s slide tackle kept the play alive for the Galaxy. Dejan Joveljic got to the ball, then back-heeled a ball to Chicharito, who perfectly time his run to get behind the Austin back line and he one-timed a shot inside the penalty area past keeper Brad Stuver into the upper left net to give the Galaxy the lead.
“I was talking with JK [Jonathan Klinsmann] about it because he asked me how I felt after I scored, Chicharito said. “I said the sensation is like a release and more like happiness and excitement.”
The Galaxy then doubled its advantage in the 64th minute. It started when Marky Delgado intercepted a Wolff pass and found himself on the break on the right side. It became a three-on-one break as Joveljic and Puig joined in, with Austin’s Nick Lima providing the last line of defense. Delgado then played a pass perfectly to Puig on the left, who then dribbled into the penalty area and slotted the shot past Stuver at the back post to give the Galaxy the two-goal cushion it needed to slowly wilt away the match.
“I thought it was a very solid, professional performance for most of the night,” Galaxy head coach Greg Vanney said. “I thought we did a great job of finding good spots and being able to play through their lines, and be able to create attacks.”
The Galaxy had the best chances in the first half. Perhaps its best chance came in the 42nd minute, as Delgado played a cross to an open Chicharito inside the penalty area, Stuver managed to beat Chicharito to the ball, but the ball fell to the feet of Puig, who then took the shot, but it was blocked. Tyler Boyd had a chance a minute later, as he took a shot similar to the goal he scored against LAFC last week, but Stuver made the save, parrying the ball over the end line.
